When Daniela Gutierrez's caseworker told her about a pilot program that would provide her with a monthly allowance for the next three years, she thought it was too good to be true.

It was late 2020, and she had just recently lost two out of her three jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She was the sole financial provider of her household and was also suddenly pregnant with her first child while in what she described as an abusive relationship.

A lifelong New York City resident, Gutierrez applied to the cash assistance program called the Bridge Project because she had "nothing to lose at all." She said the monthly money was mostly used on her baby, but she was able to save some, which gave her the courage to leave her partner.

"I just kept getting courage when I saw my bank account grow just because I didn't feel so suffocated and trapped in the situation I was in, especially being pregnant," she said.

Since officially launching in 2021, the Bridge Project has helped over 1,300 mothers and their babies by financially supporting them and providing optional educational opportunities. The program has expanded into other parts of New York and Milwaukee. It is now coming to Connecticut to help 500 pregnant residents across the state with a monthly allowance over the next three years.

According to the Bridge Project, the $12 million investment will provide pregnant individuals with an upfront, one-time prenatal stipend of $1,125. Mothers will then receive $750 monthly payments throughout pregnancy and into the first 15 months of a baby's life, followed by 21 months of $375 payments. The cash from the non-profit organization can be spent on anything their household needs, like food, formula, bills, car repairs, diapers and more.

The Bridge Project was started by Holly Fogle, who worked directly with families in northern Manhattan during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Executive Director Laura Clancy said that her work found that giving families material assistance, like food, is often inefficient, expensive and logistically challenging.

Instead, Clancy said the best way to support mothers and help the development of babies was to give cash directly to cover any financial needs. Their goal is to support mothers in the hope of strengthening the entire family unit and promoting their newborn babies' health development.

"We want to make sure that they can absorb those one-time costs without causing stress to the family and that they can make the best decisions for themselves and their family as they reach this period of not having work-related income for a while," she said.

Gutierrez and her son, Jeremiah, 3, were part of the first cohort of moms and infants who received cash assistance through the Bridge Project. She said the money was enough to help cover her baby's basic needs, like diapers, wipes, bottles and a stroller. She could also use it to help cover rent and other bills.

Not having to focus on bills and money all the time helped give Gutierrez the time and space to care for her newborn and what he needed to grow. She also relied on the education and support the Bridge Project offered her, especially as her time with the program ended.

Since leaving her relationship in 2022, Gutierrez said she has rekindled connections with her mom and sister. She's also creating a new life for herself by starting to work part-time as a tutor at the New York Public Library. She also started a relationship with someone new and now has a newborn son together.

"I had money, and I was able to get help; I was able to get resources for me and my son. The Bridge Project has been there through everything for the past three years of my child's life," Gutierrez said. "Not only am I grateful for the cash, but I'm also grateful for the support and community they offered me in such a hard time, especially because I didn't really have anyone around me. I was isolated for so many years."

Clancy said the pilot program saw similar outcomes for other mothers. She explained that many mothers saw a significant increase in financial savings and family time while seeing reductions in stress among the moms during the pilot program hosted in New York. Some could also find better jobs after giving birth or pursue their post-secondary education because of the breathing room the cash assistance provided.

How does this work?

The expansion in Connecticut is the project's first statewide endeavor to help pregnant individuals in all counties, Clancy said. She explained that it was a natural progression to bring the cash assistance into Connecticut considering the state already has the Baby Bonds program and there were several interested investors.

In addition, the state has one of the highest incidence of income inequality in the country, with high rates of child poverty in some areas. Poverty rose more than 40 percent in Connecticut from 2021 to 2022, especially among children, after the expiration of critical federal programs, according to a study from Connecticut Voices for Children.

Applications for the Bridge Project in Connecticut opened on Oct. 2 and are evaluated on a rolling basis until the 500 slots are filled, Clancy said. To participate, Connecticut residents must be 18 years or older, 23 weeks or fewer in their pregnancy and have an annual income of $44,000 or less.

Selection is based on a random lottery with geographic minimums to ensure that the program is implemented statewide. Once a mom is selected for the program, they are enrolled to participate for three years unconditionally.

They've already received 2,200 applications and are attempting to onboard moms quickly. Clancy said it's "heartbreaking" that they can't help everyone, but ultimately, they represent the wider need.

All moms who apply, even if they don't get the cash assistance, are offered a Connecticut resource guide that outlines potential organizations that can help them, like diaper banks and walk-in clinics.

"We're hoping that it has a tipping point effect on a generation of babies in Connecticut to make sure that they can have a strong care, and that moms can have a more peaceful, restorative return after they give birth, and that families can spend more time together," Clancy said. "Moms have what they need...and flexible funds are what lets moms make the best decision for their babies."